How and Why I Changed my Eating Habits - Q & A

Hi everyone,

Here is a little bit of information on how and why I changed my eating habits. I have experienced an incredible difference in the way that I feel, look, and live and I want to share it with you in that hope that you will too. Here we go!

What motivated you to change your eating habits?

Ever since leaving high school in 2007, I really began to notice the effects of food on my body. Over the past 5 years I had noticed all of the following symptoms of less-than-optimal health.

As a teacher, I work long hours that require me to be full of energy and alert all day. I was noticing that it was very common that I make it til 3:30pm and be craving sugar. I soon began needing to start the day with coffee to get me started but I noticed that it did not giving me lasting momentum and only fuelled my stressed state. I struggled to think clearly even at the start of the day when I was expected to be at my best. I was waking up feeling exhausted even after a good nights sleep. And would start craving sugary cereal to get me started.

In 2011, after suffering from very poor digestion and bloating, I worked out that I was allergic to dairy products but it has taken time to fully remove them from my diet.

I have always suffered from hormonal acne and since high school have had a ‘reddish’ face. In the last 6 months, I determined that this was largely to do with the food I was eating, particularly after eating wheat or dairy.

Over the course of 2013, I worked to completely remove wheat from my diet and opt for gluten free options wherever possible.

Over the last 2 years, I have suffered an increase in headaches and migraines. In 2013, I was suffering from migraines every month.

In suffering from a range of symptoms that have caused me to not be performing at my best, I was motivated to get really serious with myself and at that point decided do whatever it takes to care for my body to feel my absolute best, to perform at my best, to be strong and full of energy.

What do you currently eat?

For breakfast, I drink around 750ml of green juice: kale, spinach, lemon, ginger, and pear. For morning tea, I typically drink a smoothie of pureed fruit or a quarter of a watermelon. For lunch, I eat as many of one particular fruit until I feel full. I snack on dates, cucumbers, guacamole, hummus with gluten free grain crackers. For dinner, I eat a cooked meal of vegetables and sometimes meat. I find my body to be more reactive to red meats, so I eat more chicken and fish.

When I go out to a café I will have decaffeinated coffee and sometimes have a gluten free cake/slice.

How have you been motivated to see it through over time?

I have learnt to listen to my body, to recognize when something is not right and to make the choice to change something even when it is hard or inconvenient.

The feeling of being energized and not feeling sick or heavy far out ways the short lived fantastic taste of food. I understand that it takes time to change your eating habits and I have had to be patient with myself and not be too hard on myself for failing at times, in making the changes I want to see.

Based on what I currently eat, I don’t feel like I am missing out or that I am restricting my diet in negative ways. I eat however much fruit I want, whenever I want. I choose my favourite fruits and enjoy eating lots of it. Often the issue is making sure I get enough. What motivates me to stick with this decision is reminding myself about how I feel after eating certain foods. McDonalds tastes great, icecream tastes great, malteasers and mars bars taste great. But none of these foods make me feel great.

Now when I look at food, I am teaching myself to associate with a feeling and not a taste. Does the food make me feel energized, light and focused? Or does it leave me feeling heavy, flat and lethargic?

If you’re having a hard day, how do you see it through?

I do my best to plan meals in advance. When I go to the markets on a weekend, I ensure that I have enough food for each meal. I have all the foods I know my body will need and I make sure I am well prepared, taking more on days if I know I may need some extra energy, for an event after work for example. My house is always full of the foods that I want to be eating, nothing that makes me feel sick or less than my best, no matter how tasty it is.

The best way I avoid having a ‘hard day’, in regards to low energy levels at the end of the day, is to have a green juice for breakfast. I find that the kale and spinach deliver my body with vitamins and nutrients that keep cravings at bay.

I consider dates and raw cacao chocolate sweet treats to reach for as an alternative to processed chocolate or sugary bars etc.

Do you have any tips? Suggested resources?

Educate yourself. The body you have is the same one you will have 10 - 60 years from now. Learn to listen to your body and understand how it works.

Some fantastic motivators for me have simple been books, recipes, YouTubers, etc

Here is a list of resources that I have learnt from so far on my health journey:

·      Fully raw Kristina – www.fullyrawkristina.com

·      The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr Douglas Graham

·      The Body Book by Cameron Diaz

·       My Raw Addiction by Katrina Ellis

·      It’s all Good by Gweneth Paltrow.

·     Supercharged Food by Lee Holmes 
    Nutrition Almanac by John D Kirshmann
    Eat Right for Your Type by Dr Peter J D'Adamo

      Please let me know what you think. I really hope you found this information helpful! 

  

    Holly xx 

Say, 'I love you'

I moved out of home at 18 to study and ever since then I’ve been living on the Gold Coast, a nine-hour drive from my childhood home. My family and I are altogether only a couple of times a year due to distance and the fast pace of life.

Over the New Year, I went on a two-week holiday to the USA with my Mum. We toured San Francisco for eight days and then headed to North California for a Christian conference. It was a last minute adventure but the trip was a great opportunity to get away and spend some time together.

In all honesty our relationship had grown a little distant and even as we left the airport terminal, California bound, I had disagreements and unresolved issues on my mind. 

Over the course of the holiday, I earned a new respect for my mum as an individual and an admiration for the person that she is. Despite the beautiful views and experiences in Cali, the highlight of my trip was spending time with my mum. It was so great to laugh together over a shared experience and to have her braid my hair again like she did when I was young.

The time spent together travelling was so great for our relationship and I strongly encourage you to spend time with your mum or dad whenever you can. The relationship between us and our parents is so precious and should be protected and fought for.

Treasure the relationship with your parents and do what you can to mend it and invest in it. Don’t leave it too long to say you are sorry or confront issues that you’d rather not talk about. Life goes so fast and we dare not leave it another day before there is no opportunity to say what needs to be said. Overcome your pride. 

Say ‘I love you’ to your parents today and honour them for who they are and they do. I love you Mum (and Dad)!